Genie Bouchard ousted in front of home fans. The Rogers Cup suffered a major blow yesterday as local favourite and rising star Genie Bouchard, was ousted by American qualifier Shelby Rogers in the ladies draw, while there were no such problems for another former Wimbledon finalist, Agnieszka Radwanska, after the number three-seed breezed through into the next round with a straight sets win at the Stade Uniprix in Montreal.
Bouchard stunned
Wimbledon finalist Genie Bouchard, began her North American hard-court season in disappointing fashion when she was stunned 6-0, 2-6, 6-0 by Shelby Rodgers, the 113th ranked player in the world.
Bouchard, the only ladies player to advance through to the semi-finals or better at all three Grand Slams this season, was back in action for the first time since her loss to Petra Kvitova in the ladies Wimbledon final and any hopes of fine-tuning her game ahead of the final Slam of the year, the US Open, were dashed by the qualifier in an error ridden performance.
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Much of the day's play took place during a seven-hour power failure, with the matches taking place without any functioning scoreboards or umpire's microphones, however Bouchard's problems stemmed deeper as she struggled with all aspects of her game in a bizarrely one-sided affair.
After her loss Bouchard told reporters: "I was feeling the pressure on the court and I was feeling kind of match rusty," Bouchard told reporters.
"But I knew this coming into the match, so I can't use that as excuses. I knew it would be kind of a difficult situation."
Unfortunately for the home fans, the potential semi-final between the rising superstar of the ladies game and defending champion Serena Williams, will no longer take place.
Radwanska and Azarenka through
There were no such problems for third-seed Agnieszka Radwanska, as she breezed through her second round match with Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, 6-4, 6-4, while former world number one Victoria Azarenka continued her comeback from a lengthly injury lay-off with a battling 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory over France's Alize Cornet.
Trio of former top ranked ladies advance
Three former top ranked ladies, Ana Ivanovic, Carolina Wozniacki and Venus Williams all advanced through unscathed in their first-round matches.
A rejuvenated Ivanovic, winner of three Tour titles this season and back in the Top 10 for the first time in three years, dropped just three-games against Swiss qualifier Timea Bacsinszky 6-1, 6-2, while Wozniacki, fresh off her first WTA title in almost a year at the Istanbul Open, only dropped two-games in a dominant win over Daniela Hantuchova 6-1, 6-1.
Both Ivanovic and Wozniacki are former winners of the Rogers Cup, Ivanovic lifting the title in 2006 after a straight sets win over Martina Hingis while Wozniacki titled in 2010 when she beat Vera Zvonareva.
Venus Williams continued her attempted revival, although she had to dig deep to overcome the challenge of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 3-6, 6-2.
Next up for Wozniacki is Czech, Klara Koukalova, while Ivanovic and Williams take on Coco Vandeweghe and Yulia Putintseva respectively.
Serena Williams on her way to victory in the 2013 Rogers Cup
Today's action
Big name second-round action today, sees defending champion Serena Williams, fresh off her win at the Bank of America Classic, take on former US Open Champion Sam Stosur.
Maria Sharapova should be tested against rising star Garbine Muguruza while Wimbledon Champion Petra Kvitova makes a return to action against Casey Dellacqua.
Former world number one Jelena Jankovic is also in action today in the pick of the second round matches when she takes on rising star Sloane Stephens.
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